{{Short description|American soccer player (born 1983)}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Stephen Keel | image = Stephen Keel.jpg | upright = 1.3 | caption = Keel in 2011 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1983|4|11}} | birth_place = Littleton, Colorado, United States | height = {{height|ft=6|in=0}} | position = Defender | currentclub = | collegeyears1 = 2001–2004 | college1 = Wake Forest Demon Deacons | years1 = 2003 | clubs1 = Bradenton Academics | caps1 = 6 | goals1 = 1 | years2 = 2005–2008 | clubs2 = Colorado Rapids | caps2 = 10 | goals2 = 0 | years3 = 2006 | clubs3 = → Seattle Sounders (loan) | caps3 = 10 | goals3 = 1 | years4 = 2009–2010 | clubs4 = Portland Timbers | caps4 = 52 | goals4 = 1 | years5 = 2011–2012 | clubs5 = New York Red Bulls | caps5 = 25 | goals5 = 0 | years6 = 2013–2015 | clubs6 = FC Dallas | caps6 = 24 | goals6 = 1 | years7 = 2013–2014 | clubs7 = FC Dallas Reserves | caps7 = 9 | goals7 = 1 | medaltemplates = }}

'''Stephen Keel''' (born April 11, 1983) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a defender

==Career== ===College and amateur=== Keel was born in Littleton, Colorado. He played college soccer at Wake Forest University from 2001 to 2004 where he appeared in 63 games scoring 13 goals and adding 9 assists. During his college career he also played with Bradenton Academics in the USL Premier Development League.

===Professional=== On July 11, 2005, Keel signed a developmental contract with the Colorado Rapids. During the 2006 season Keel spent time on loan with the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division, scoring 1 goal in 10 games for the team. While with Colorado Keel appeared in 36 games with the Rapids reserves, leading the reserve team to back-to-back MLS Reserve Division championships in 2006 and 2007 and was named MLS Magazine's Reserve Player of the Year following the 2007 season.

[[Image:Stephen-Keel-soccer-player.jpg|thumb|left|180px|Keel playing for Portland Timbers]]

He was waived by the Rapids on March 13, 2009, and subsequently signed for the Portland Timbers on March 16, 2009.<ref>{{Cite web | title=United Soccer Leagues (USL) | url=http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/home/313524.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002162957/http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/home/313524.html | access-date=2025-11-19 | archive-date=2011-10-02}}</ref> In his first season with Portland Keel appeared in 29 league matches scoring 1 goal in helping the club capture the USL First Division Commissioner's Cup as regular season champions. In his second season with Portland Keel remained a fixture in the Timber defense and helped the club reach the playoffs. On May 29, 2010, Keel scored Portland's second goal in a 3–2 come from behind victory over Argentina's Boca Juniors in a friendly played at PGE Park.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.oregonlive.com/timbers/index.ssf/2010/05/portland_3_boca_juniors_2_timb.html|title=Portland Timbers 3, Boca Juniors 2: Timbers stay mentally tough with late goals|date=30 May 2010}}</ref>

On March 9, 2011, Keel joined New York Red Bulls after a trial stint.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://redbullsreader.wordpress.com/2011/03/09/new-york-signs-teemu-tainio-and-stephen-keel/|title = New York Signs Teemu Tainio and Stephen Keel|date = 9 March 2011}}</ref> On March 26, 2011, Keel made his official debut for New York playing the full 90 in a 0–0 draw against Columbus Crew.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-recap/decimated-red-bulls-hold-crew-scoreless-tie |title=Decimated Red Bulls hold Crew to scoreless tie &#124; Major League Soccer |access-date=March 28, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110430202720/http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter-recap/decimated-red-bulls-hold-crew-scoreless-tie |archive-date=April 30, 2011 }}</ref> By the end of the season Keel became a regular starter for New York and helped the club qualify for the MLS playoffs.

On November 19, 2012, New York announced it declined options for ten players including Keel.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2012/11/red-bulls-announce-roster-moves| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121127193515/http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2012/11/red-bulls-announce-roster-moves| archive-date = 2012-11-27| title = Red Bulls Announce Roster Moves {{!}} New York Red Bulls}}</ref> Keel chose to enter the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft held in December 2012. He was selected by FC Dallas in stage two of the re-entry draft and signed with the club on January 9, 2013. He scored his first goal on October 26, 2013, in a 2–1 away loss to the San Jose Earthquakes in the 90th minute. His goal was a header and was assisted by Blas Perez. <ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/14/total-14-players-selected-stage-2-mls-re-entry-draft| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121216155205/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2012/12/14/total-14-players-selected-stage-2-mls-re-entry-draft| archive-date = 2012-12-16| title = Califf, Casey among 14 picked in Stage 2 Re-Entry Draft {{!}} MLSsoccer.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.fcdallas.com/news/2013/01/fc-dallas-signs-london-woodberry-agrees-terms-stephen-keel| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130111220214/http://www.fcdallas.com/news/2013/01/fc-dallas-signs-london-woodberry-agrees-terms-stephen-keel| archive-date = 2013-01-11| title = FC Dallas signs London Woodberry; agrees to terms with Stephen Keel {{!}} FC Dallas}}</ref> During a 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal game against the Philadelphia Union, he suffered a foot injury that caused him to miss the rest of the MLS season. He also spent much of 2015 rehabbing the injury<ref>{{cite web|url=http://soccerblog.dallasnews.com/2015/06/return-at-hand-for-fc-dallas-keel-after-10-month-absence-following-foot-injury.html/|title=Return at hand for FC Dallas' Keel after 10-month absence following foot injury|website=Soccer Blog|access-date=2016-03-08}}</ref> and did not appear in any first team games.

Keel became a free agent after the 2015 season<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.us/major-league-soccer/story/2745657/major-league-soccer-announces-free-agent-class-of-26-players|title=Major League Soccer announces free-agent class of 26 players|website=ESPNFC.com|date=8 December 2015|access-date=2016-03-08}}</ref> and was not re-signed by FC Dallas.

==Honors== '''Portland Timbers''' * USL First Division Commissioner's Cup: 2009

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{MLS player|stephen-keel}} * {{Soccerway|6930}} * [http://wakeforestsports.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/keel_stephen00.html Wake Forest Demon Deacons bio]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Keel, Stephen}} Category:1983 births Category:Living people Category:American men's soccer players Category:Wake Forest Demon Deacons men's soccer players Category:IMG Academy Bradenton players Category:Colorado Rapids players Category:Seattle Sounders (1994–2008) players Category:Portland Timbers (2001–2010) players Category:New York Red Bulls players Category:FC Dallas players Category:USL League Two players Category:Major League Soccer players Category:USL First Division players Category:USSF Division 2 Professional League players Category:Soccer players from Colorado Category:Men's association football defenders